A hybrid fiber/coax access network is, for example, a cable television distribution network with a forward channel and a return channel, over which different bidirectional services, such as telephony, Internet communication, or video telephony, can be provided. DE 44 36 818 C1 discloses a subscriber access network for transmitting digital signals of bidirectional interactive telecommunications services. Behind the coaxial cable repeater of a CATV coaxial cable tree network which is closest to a respective subscriber, the optical fibers of a fiber-optic network are bidirectionally connected to the branches of the tree network. Transmission on the optical fibers is digital, for example in the ATM format. This requires a demodulation and/or a frequency conversion of the electric subscriber signals.